Rotary selective printer



Feb. 10, 1953 E. BUHLER 2,627,807

ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER Filed Dec. 5, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EUGEN BUHtER awe. A2,,

ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1953 E. BUHLER 2,627,807

ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER Filed Dec. 5, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EUGEN BUHL 5/? ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1953 E. BUHLER 2,627,807

ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER Filed Dec. 5, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 'EUG'EN BUHLER ORNEY I Feb. 10, 1953 E. BUHLER 2,627,307

ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER Filed Dec. 5, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR EUGEA/ BI/l/LER BY Q lu ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1953 E. BUHLER ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 5, 1949 sues/v BUl-ILER R (Q/file.

A ORNEY Feb. 10, 1953 E. BUHLER 2,627,807

ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER Filed Dec. 3, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 F752 54 H a .55

STOP KEV T Z40 6721K? 19 m Z43 -*F "1? 2- 2 m & .STACKEK .sroP km PRINT MAGNETS NVENTOR IE. EU G-EN BU/ILER BY Ravcswu ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1953 E. BUHLER 2,627,807

ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER Filed Dec. 5, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 PLA T E 60 CAM 92 CAM 157 CAM I44 CAM 1% CARD LEI/ER commcrs 245 c420 Lmsecowmcrs 25/ cAMcm/mcm 242 CAM co/vm'crs 24a CAM CONTACTS 250 CAM co/vmcrs Z64 CAM colvmcrs I27 CAM con/r4075 2/0 Patented Feb. 10, 1953 ROTARY SELECTIVE PRINTER Eugen Buhler, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 3, 1949, Serial No. 130,967

6 Claims.

1 This invention relates to printing mechamsms, and more particularly to rotary type printing mechanisms which operate under the control of perforated records.

It is desirable that a mechanism for printing characters in response to the sensing of perforations in a record card or tape be simply constructed and be operable at high speed to select and print from a large number of type elements. By supporting a type carrier on a continuously rotating member and providing means for displacing it from a home position in response to zoning impulses derived from the sensing of predetermined perforations, any one of a large number of type elements may be brought into position for engagement by a hammer actuated in response to the sensing of perforations at later times in a machine cycle. The hammer may engage the type elements while the latter are in flight to obtain a printing without any change in speed of the rotating member.

The printing mechanism of this invention may desirably comprise an annular shaped type carrier surrounding a rotating drum and normally held in a home position thereon by a spring. A

zoning pawl may be positioned in response to a zoning impulse for effecting engagement between shoulders on the pawl and the carrier during different intervals of time depending upon the time at which the impulse is received. An engagement of the shoulders effects a displacement of the carrier against the action of the spring, and a pawl engages a notch in the carrier for holding it in its displaced position. As the carrier rotates after displacement, difierent sets of type elements pass through printing positions, depending upon the amount of displacement, While card index points at which perforations may be located pass sensing devices controlling the operation of a hammer. After all the type elements have passed printing position, the holding pawl may be released so that the type carrier returns to its home position. In each rotation of the drum, the carrier may be zoned and the hammer actuated to strike an impression from one of the type elements.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved printing mechanism of the rotary type.

Another object is to provide a printing mechanism which is operable at high speed to print both alphabetic and numeric characters.

Yet another object is to provide a printing mechanism having a rotating type carrier which is adjustable automatically while rotating for zoning type elements relative to a printing position.

Still another object is to provide an improved printing mechanism which is operable to select and print from any one of a plurality of type elements in response to the sensing of perforations in a record. I

Another object is to provide a printing mechanism having a rotatable carrier which may be shifted in response to the sensing of perforations at predetermined points in a card column to effeet a zoning of type elements, and having means for operating a hammer to engage the type elements in response to the sensing of any holes in the same card column.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, Which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view, with parts broken away to facilitate illustration, of the improved printing mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the printing mechanism taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on the same plane as Fig. 3 and showing the type carrier and its control meansin different operating positions. I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the type carrier taken on the plane of the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of the card feeding mechanism and the wiring diagram for the printing mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a timing diagram.

Fig. 9 is a view of a card with perforations employed for the different characters to be printed.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly toFigs. 3 and 6, it will be noted that the improved printing mechanism includes a cylindrical drum l0 rotatably supported at its ends in bearings ll carried by collars l2, I3 which extend through openings in the side plates l4, l5 of a supporting frame. Formed on the collars are flange portions I6, I! engaging the outer sides of the plates M, l5 and connected thereto by screws I8. Arranged upon the drum are annular members 20, and a key 2| connects the annular members to the drum for rotation therewith. To pre-- vent lateral displacement of the annular members, a nut 22 is threadedppon the drum to hold the annular members between it and a flange 23 on the drum. The collar I3 acts against the flange 23 to prevent the drum from moving longitudinally in one direction, and a plate 25 is connected to the collar 12, as by screws 26, for limiting movement of the drum in the opposite direction.

Surrounding outwardly projecting flange portions 28 on the members 20 are annular type carriers 29 having inwardly projecting flange portions 30 lying adjacent the flange portions 28. Connected to the flange portions 30 are studs 3| extending through elongated slots 32 in the flange portions 28, and enlarged heads on the studs cooperate with the flange portions 28 for holding the carriers against lateral. displacement while permitting them to be turned angularly relative to the members 26. Fixed to the flange portion 30 of each carrier, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is a lug 35 extending through an elongated notch 36 in the outer edge of the flange 28 associated therewith. A spring 37 is connected between the flange portions 28 and 30 so as to urge the carrier in a clockwise direction relative to the member 20 and hold it normally in its home position with the lug 35 engaging the forward end of the notch 36, as shown in Fig. 4. Pivotally mounted upon the flangeZB of each member 20 is a pawl 38 engageable with the inner surface 40 on the type carrier when the latter is in its home position, and adapted to be received in notches 4! in the carrier when it is displaced'in a counter-clockwise direction relative to the member 20. The pawl 38 is continuously urged by a spring 42 in a direction to engage the surface 40 and-the notches 4|. Fixed to each type carrier along a portion-of its outer periphery are type elements 44 against which a strip of paper 45 and an inked ribbon 46 may be forced by a hammer-41 as the carrier is rotated.

During operation of the printing mechanism, the drum [0 is caused to make one complete rotation in a clockwisedirection for each machine cycle. For rotating the drum there is provided, as shown in Fig. 7, a motor 50 adapted to be energized from power lines 5|, 52 through a switch 53 and conductors 54, 55. Fixed to the power shaft of the motor is a worm 55 meshing with a worm gear 51 freely mounted on a shaft 58. Fixed to the gear 51 is a clutch disc 6! having a notch 5! adapted to be engaged by a dog 82 pivotally mounted upon an arm 63 which is attached to the shaft 58. A latch 64 is pivotally supported at 55 and is engageable with a tail portion of the dog and the end of the arm 63 for holding the dog disengagedfrom the notch 61 against the action of a springs! and holding the arm in a fixed position. The armature 68 of a feed clutch magnet F. C. is fixed to the latch for affecting its operation to release the dog 62 and the arm 63 when the magnet is energized. Attached to the shaft 58 is a gear") meshing with a gear H on a shaft I2 which is journaled, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in the side plates i4, i5 of the supporting frame. The gearing is such that the shaft 72 is turned two complete revolutions for each revolution of the shaft 53. Mounted upon the shaft 12 is a gear 73 meshing with a gear 74 on a stub shaft 15 carried by the plate 15, and the gear 74 meshes with a gear 76 connected, as shown in Fig. 6, to the drum H] by a key H. The gears M and it are rotated in a counter-clockwise and clockwise direction, respectively, as viewed in Fig. 2, and each is caused to make one complete rotation for each machine cycle.

As the drum rotates, the type carriers, of course, rotate with it, but the position of each carrier on its member 2% may be such that the pawl 38 engages either the surface 49 or one of the notches ii. For positioning each type carrier, there is provided a zoning pawl 86 pivotally supported on a rod 8! and having a portion with steps 82! engageable selectively with a shoulder 83 on the type carrier. The steps have been designated as 0, i1 and 12, and an engagement of the shoulder 53 with one of these steps results in a holding of the carrier until the pawl 33 drops into the corresponding notch 41. If none of the steps are engaged by the shoulder, the carrier remains in its home position with the pawl 38 engaging the surface 48. The rod Si is supported by a bracket 85 (Fig. 6) which may be connected by any suitable means, not shown, to the side plates 14, I5. Fixed to the bracket is a comb 85 (Figs. 4 and 5) for guiding the zoning pawls so that they move between the adjacent carriers. To position the pawls- 80 so that one of the steps 82 is in the path of the shoulder 83, there is provided a bail 81 which is connected at its ends to stub shafts 88, 89 (Fig. 5) journaled in the plates M, 5, respectively. Fixed to the shaft 8? is a bell crank 99 having a roller 9! connected to one of its arms for engagement with a cam 92 mounted upon a hub portion 93 of the gear TB and connected to the latter by screws 9%. Another arm of the bell crank is connected by a spring 95 (Fig. 2) to ;a stationary pin for holding the roller Si in yielding engagement with the cam 92. As shown in Fig. 6, the bell crank 98 has a hub portion 95 connected by a pin to the shaft 89, and a spacer 57 is arranged on the shaft between this hub portion and the side plate l5. v j

At the right hand end of the pawl 80 are notches 58 designated 0, 11 and 12 and adapted to receive a tooth [39 on a stop pawl l8! pivotally supported by a bracket i612. A latch N33 is also pivotally supported by the bracket 32 and is normally held by a spring H24 in a position to engage the end of the stop pawl till for holding the latter retracted against the action of a spring I 35. A zoning magnet ZM-I has an armature i0? engageable with the latch for actuating it when the magnet is energized to release the pawl 15!. The latch for the next adjacent carrier is controlled by a zoning magnet ZM-Z. Magnets for the other type carriers are staggered in a similar manner to conserve space.

The energizing of the zoning magnets is effected by the sensing of perforations in cards in the following manner. Each .of the cards has columns of index points 9 to 0, 11 and 12, as shown in Fig. 9, at which perforations may be made. Referring to Fig. '7, it will be noted that a picker H8 is engageable with cards III for feeding them one at time from a hopper H2 to a pair of feed rolls H4. The cards are arranged in the hopper so that they are fed from it face up and with the No. 9 index points first. Operation of the picker is efiected by an arm H5 pivotally supported by a pin H6 and connected by a link H! to a lug located eccentrically on a disc H8 driven from the shaft 58 through bevel gears H26, a shaft 121 and bevel gears I22. The lower feed roll H6 is driven from the shaft I21 through gears I23 and operates to advance each card between a set of brushes 124 and a contact roll I25.

The brushes $24 are arranged in line the path of the shoulder 83 on the carrier.

'ing zoning pawl. 'ter-clockwise direction in Fig. 4 so that the Nos.

with the columns of index points and are adapted to make contact withthe roll I as perforations are sensed. The contact roll is connected to the power conductor 54 through a brush I26, cam controlled contacts I21 and relay contacts R341, while the brushes I24 are connected to the power conductor 55 through the zoning magnets ZM-I, ZM-2, etc. The relay contacts R3a are closed under the control of means to be described later before the No. 0 index points on a card reach the brushes I24, and the cam contacts I21 are closed, as shown in the diagram of Fig. 8, only during the time that the 0, 11 and 12 points are sensed. It will be seen that a sensing of a hole at any one of the 0, l1 and 12 points will result in an energizing of one of the zoning magnets to release the latch I03 controlled thereby.

The zoning pawl 80 is first moved by the bail 81 'to a position in which the zero step 82 is in At this time the zero notch 88 in the pawl is located so as to receive the tooth I00 on the stop pawl IN. The parts are in this position when the 0 points on a card come under the brushes I24. If a hole is sensed at one of the 0 index points, a zoning magnet is energized to release the stop pawl for engaging the 0 notch of the correspond- The bail 81 is swung in a coun- 11 and '12 notches 98 may pass the tooth I00 in synchronism with the sensing of the 11 and 12 index points on the card. A spring I connects the zoning pawl to the bail so that they move together unless one of the notches is engaged by the tooth I00. engaged, the No. 11 or 12 step 82 is in the path of the shoulder 83. If none of the notches are engaged, the zoning pawl moves clear of the type carrier so that it remains in its home position.

At a fixed time in each machine cycle the stop pawls IOI are rocked in a counter-clockwise direction to release all of the zoning pawls which had been held in carrier engaging positions. This rocking of the stop pawl is efiected by a bail I32 engageable with a tail portion I33 on the pawls and fixed to a shaft I34 journaled in the side plates I4, I5. Fixed to one end of the shaft I34 (see Figs. 1 and 2) is a bell crank I35 having a roller I36 supported by one of its arms and engaging a cam I31 fixed by screws I38 (see also Fig. 6) to the cam 32. tend through slots I39 in the cam I31 so that the latter may be adjusted angularly for timing the operation of the bail I 32. Another arm of the bell crank I35 is connected by a spring I40 to a stationary pin for holding the roller I36 against the cam. The bail I32 operates to rock When the No. 11 or 12 notch is The screws I38 exof the pawl 38 extending through. an opening I46 in the drum I0. As shown in Fig. 6, one end of the cam I44 has a reduced portion I48 supported Within an opening in the plate 25, and screws I49 extend through the plate into the cam for holding the latter in a fixed position. The opposite end of the cam has a reduced portion I50 supported by the inner ring of a bearing I5I carried by the drum I0, and a screw I52 threaded into an opening in the cam holds the bearing against lateral displacement. A high portion I54 of the cam is located in a position to be engaged by the tail portion I45 of the pawl 38 just after the last type element 44 has passed the hammer 41. As shown in Fig. 3, the pawl 38 engages the No. 12 notch in the carrier and the last type element is in. printing position. Upon further rotation of the carrier, the tail portion of the pawl 38 rides onto the high portion of the cam, as shown in Fig. 4, and releases the carrier so that it is returned to its home position by the spring 31. When the tail portion of the pawl rides again to the low portion of the cam, the shoulder 83 on the carrier is in a position to engage one of the steps 82 on the zoning pawl if the latter is held by the stop pawl IOI. As shown in Fig. 5, the shoulder 83 is engaging the No. 12 step on the zoning pawl and the carrier has been held up to permit the pawl 38 to drop into the No. 12 notch in the carrier. The bail I 32 is about to rock the stop pawl IOI for releasing the zoning pawl so that it may be moved by the spring I30 to release the carrier. Formed on the stop pawl is a projecting portion I56 engageable with the latch I03, when the pawl is rocked by the bail I32, to effect a relatching operation.

Hammer operating mechanism the hammers so that they operate through an opening in a casing I53 to take an impression from the type elements as the carrier is rotated.

Each of the hammers is normally held in a retracted position by a spring I64, and a lever I the stop pawl as soon as the zoning pawl has had 1 time to hold up the type carrier until the pawl 38 engages one of the notches 4|. If the zero step on the zoning pawl is engaged by the shoulder 83, the carrier is held against rotation until the pawl 38 engages the zero notch 4|. An engagement of the steps 11 or 12 with the shoulder results in a holding of the carrier until the pawl 38 engages the 11 or 12 notches, respectively.

After the type carrier has been zoned and all of the type elements 44 has passed through aposition at which they may be engaged by the hammer 41, it is necessary that the pawl 38 be released from the notches 4| to permit the carrier to return to its home position before starting an-- other cycle. For releasing the pawl 38, there is provided a cam I44 extending axially through the drum I0 and engageable by a tail portion I45 is pivotally supported by the bracket I6I and is adapted to engage a tail portion of the hammer for throwing the latter toward the type carrier. Pivotally connected to the lever at its end re mote from the hammer" is a bar I61 having a tooth I63 adapted to be engaged by any one of a plurality of teeth I59 on an actuating member I10 fixed to the driven shaft 12. A spring I1I is connected between a projecting portion of the bracket I '5! and the bar for holding the latter normally in a raised position with its toothl68 out of the path of the teeth Ifilland its lower end engaging an abutment plate I12 attached to a bracket I13. v

Projecting from one side of the bar I61 is a stud I15, and a member I18 is pivotally connected to a lever I11 and is normally held by a spring I18 in a position to engage the stud I15 for moving the bar to a position iniwhich the tooth I68 is en aged by one of the teeth I6 9. U on engagement of a tooth I82 with the tooth I 58 the bar I61 is moved longitudinally until its forward end engages a cam surface I on they bracket I13 and is cammed away from the actuator. The downward movement of the bar causes the lever I85 to swing the hammer. against oneof the typeelements. As soon as the lower end of the bar is cammedaway from the actuator, the spring I'l'I raises it again andcauses the: lever I to move away from the hammer. If the member I78 is still in a position to the left in Fig. 3, the stud I will operate when raised, to swing it against the action of the spring I'I8.'

' The lever I'll is engageable by a latch 35! for holding it in the position of 3 against the action of a spring I82. This latch is connected to the armature I83 of a printing magnet PIvI-i in such a manner that an energizing of the magnet effects a releasing of the lever. Another printing magnet PM-2 controls the latch for the lever-IT? of the next adjoining hammer. Printing magnets for other hammers are staggered in a similar manner. Just before the first type element on a carrier reaches a position for engagement by one of the hammers ii, the levers I'l'i'are rocked to latched positions by a bail I85 carried by a shaft I86 rotatably supported by'the side plates 34, i5. A projecting portion IET'on each of the levers engages its corresponding latch [8i for moving the latter positively to a latching position where it is yieldingly held by a spring I88.

For actuating the bail I85, an arm I55 (Fig. 2) is fixed to the shaft I85 and is connected by a link I9I to one arm of a bell crank I92 pivotally supported at I94 by the side plate I5. Another arm of the bell crank carries a roller I95 cooperating with a cam I95 which is adjustably connected by screws I97 to a gear :98 fixed to a shaft I89 and meshing with the gear 13. The roller I95 is yieldingly held in engagement with the cam by a spring 200 connected between the bell crank and a stationary stud 26L The gear 98 is driven one revolution each machine cycle and turns the cam I95 with it to actuate the bail Hi5.

For lubricating the hammer operating mechanism there is provided a brush 2E2 partially submerged in oil contained by a well 295 and having the free ends of its bristles engaging the teeth 169 of the actuator at a point above the level of the oil. A small quantity of oil is taken from the brush by the teeth and deposited on adjacent operating parts where it drains to a passage 254 leading to the oil well.

The energizing of the printing magnets is efiected, as shown in Fig. 7, by a second set of brushes 2B5 sensing holes in the cards as they are advanced from the brushes IN by a pair .of feed rolls 205, the lower roll being driven from .the shaft i2I by a pair of gears 207.

of holes results in a contact between the brushes 295 and a conducting roll 298 which is connected through a brush 2B9, cam contacts 2% and the relay contacts Rita to the power conductor 54. The printing magnets PMI, PM-Z, PM-3, etc. are connected in parallel circuits between the brushes 2G5 and the power conductor 55. The brushes 255 are 50 located that the No. 9 points on a card come under them just after the No. 12 points pass under the brushes i 24. The cam contacts 2I0 are closed, as shown in the diagram of Fig. 8, to permit a completion of circuits through the brushes 205 only when the card index points 9 to 0, 11 and 12 are under the brushes, and the contacts R3a are held closed under the control of means shortly to be described, as long as cards are fed to the brushes. As the cards pass beyond the brushes 255, they are picked up by a pair of feed rolls 2| 2 and advanced to a 5 receiving hopper, not shown.

A sensing j N: Paper feed mechanis I Therecord sheet or paper strip 45 is advanced each machine cycle to obtain a printing of characters on separate lines. As shown in Fig. 3, the paper passes over a lower feed roll 2I5, between guide plates 2 I6, and then over a guide member 2|! and an upper feed roll 2I8. The iced rolls 2I5 and 2I8 are mounted upon shafts 22D, 22I, respectively, and connected to these shafts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are gears 222, 223 meshing with an idler gear 224 rotatably supported by th plate I4. The paper is held in engagement with the feed rolls by rollers 225, 226 carried by bell cranks 221, 228 which are urged in a clockwise direction by springs 229, 230. Fixed to the shaft 22I is a ratchet wheel 232, and cooperating with the ratchet wheel is a dog 233 pivotally mounted upon a lever 234 carrying a roller 235 which engages a cam 236 fixed to the stub shaft 15. A spring 23'! holds the roller .235in yielding engagement with the. cam, and

a spring 238 urges the dog into engagement with the ratchet wheel. As the cam 236 rotates, the lever 234 is rocked once each machine cycleto step the ratchet wheel ahead for feeding the paper. Since the idler gear 224 connects the feed rolls for rotation together, the paper is advanced without strain at the point of printing.

Control circuits and operation To start the machine, a start key 240 is operated manually to complete a circuit from the conductor 54 through a stop key 24I, cam controlled contacts 242, the start key and the pick-up Winding of a relay RI to the conductor 55. As shown inthe timing diagram of Fig. 8, the cam contacts 242 close at 157 in one cycle to complete the circuit through the pick-up winding of relay RI if the start key is held closed, and open again at 22 in the next cycle to de-energize the relay unless it is held up by another circuit. As soon as relay RI is energized, its contacts Ri a close to complete. a circuit from the conductor 54 through the contacts 'RIa and the feed clutch magnetF. C. to-the conductor 55.- The latch64 .is then operated to releasev the dog 62 which dropsinto the notch (ii at 11 4 in the second cycle and starts the driving of the type carrier and the card picker.

. contacts remain closed until 180 in the cycle.

As a card is advanced from the hopper II 2, it operates to close card lever contacts 245 at 157 for completing a circuit from the conductor 54 through conductors 246, 247, card lever contacts 245 and the pick-up winding of the relay R2 to the conductor 55. Relay contacts R2a then close to complete a circuit from the conductor 54 through the stop key 24 I a stacker stop switch 248, the contacts R211, relay contacts Rib and the holding coil of the relay RI. As long as cards continue feeding from the hopper, the relay RI remains energized and the feed clutch is engaged to continue operation of the machine. A holding circuit for the relay R2 includes a conductor 249 leading from the conductor 54 to cam contacts 250 which are connected through the holding coil of relay R2 to the conductor 55. The cam contacts 2511 close at 67 and remain closed until 180 so that the relay R2 is held energized while the card lever contacts 245 are open between 90 and 157 As mentioned above, the card passes between the brushes I24 and the contact roll I25, and the cam contacts I21 close only at the times that the 0, 11 and 12 index points come under the brushes. Before the zero points reach the brushes, the leading edge of the card operates to close card lever contacts 25! for completing a circuit from the conductor 54 through the conductor 246, a conductor 252, the card lever contacts '25l and the pick-up winding of a relay R3 to the conductor 55. The relay contacts R3 11 are then closed so that circuits may be completed through the brushes I24 if holes are sensed at the 0, 11 and 12 index points. Other relay contacts R31) also close to provide a holding circuit from the conductor 54 through the conductor 246, camcontacts 254, the relay contacts R3b and the holding winding of the relay R3 to the conductor 55; Th cam contacts 254 are closed between 67%; and 180 so that the relay R3 is energized whilethe card lever contacts 251 are openbetween 90 and 157 /2. As soon as the last card passes the card lever contacts 245 and the cam contacts 250 open, the relay R2 is deenergized and the contacts R2a open to effect a de-energizing of the relay RI. The contacts Rla then open to de-energize the clutch magnet F. C. and effect an operation of the latch 64 to engage the dog 62 for retracting it from the notch in the clutch plate and stop-ping the driving of the machine. The clutch is not disengaged, however, until the last card is discharged by the feed rolls 212 to the receiving hopper.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions :and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the apparatus illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for printing data represented by perforations in cards comprising, in conbination, a rotatable member, means for rotating said member continuously at a constant speed, a carrier adjustably mounted upon said member and having type elements fixed thereto at uniformly spaced points, means for yieldingly holding said carrier in a home position on said member, first and second stations for sensing perforations in a card, means for feeding cards to said stations, said cards having uniformly spaced index points at which perforations may be located, means operating in response to the sensing of perforations at predetermined index points by said first station for adjusting said carrier on said rotatable member against the action of said holding means, means for latching said carrier in its adjusted position, a printing hammer operable to engage any one of said type elements on said carrier as the latter rotates with said member, said rotatable member operating for each adjusted position of said carrier to advance said type elements past said hammer in synchronism with the movement of said index points past said second station, means operating in response to the sensiong of a perforation by said second station for actuating said hammer to engage one of said type elements, and means for actuating said latching means to unlatch said carrer after all of said type elements have been moved past said hammer.

2. A machine for printing data represented by perforations in cards comprising, in combination, a rotatable member, means for rotating said member continuously at a constant speed, a carrier freely mounted upon said member and having type elements fixed thereto at uniformly spaced points, said type elements being arranged in groups with a predetermined number of elements in each group, means for yieldingly holding said carrier in a home position on said member, a printing hammer operable to engage any one of said type elements as said carrier rotates with said member, first and second stations for sensing perforations in a card, means for feeding cards successively to said stations, said cards hav-.

ing uniformly spaced index points at which perforations may be located, means operating in response to the sensing of a perforation at any one of predetermined index points by said first station for shifting said carrier on said rotatable member against the action of said holding means, means for latching said carrier in its adjusted position, said rotatable member operating after said carrier is shifted to advance said groups of type elements past said hammer in synchronism with the movement of said index points past said second station, mean operating in response to the sensing of a perforation by said second station for actuating said hammer to engage one of said type elements as it moves past, and means for actauting said latching means to unlatch said carrier after all of said type elements have been moved past said hammer.

3. The machine of claim 2 in which said carrier shifting means operates on the sensing of a perforation to shift said carrier so as to move said type elements relative to said hammer distances equal to the spacing between any two elements in a group, the distance of movement being determined by the location of the index point at which a perforation is sensed.

4. A machine for printing data represented by perforations in cards comprising, in combination, a rotatable member, a carrier freely mounted upon said member for rotation therewith and having type elements fixed thereto, means for yieldingly urging said carrier toward a home position on said member, means for rotating said member at a constant speed, a pawl engageable with said carrier for holding it against rotation so as to effect its displacement from home position against said yielding means, first and second stations for sensing perforations in cards, means for feeding cards to said stations successively, said cards having uniformly spaced index points at which perforations may be located, means operating in response to the sensing of perforations at predetermined index points by said first station for positioning said pawl so as to engage said carrier during different time intervals, a pawl on said member engageable with notches in said carrier on displacement of the latter for holding it in its displaced position, a hammer operable to engage said type elements as said carrier rotates with said member, means operating in response to the sensing of a perforation by said second station for actuating said hammer, and means for releasing said second mentioned pawl from said carrier after all of said type elements have moved past said hammer.

5. The machine of claim 4 in which said first mentioned pawl has steps engageable selectively with a shoulder on said carrier for holding the latter against rotation, means for moving said pawl so as to position said steps in the path of said shoulder in synchronism with the movement of said predetermined index points through said first sensing station, means operating in response to the sensing of a perforation by said first station for arresting the movement of said pawl, and means for releasing said pawl from said arresting means and moving it out of the path of said shoulder at a predetermined time after said index points have moved through said first sensing station.

0. A printing machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable drum, an annular carrier freely mounted upon said drum for rotation therewith and having uniformly spaced type elements aifixed thereto, means for yieldingly urging said carrier toward the home position on said drum, means for rotating said drum at a constant speed, a pawl engageable with said carrier for holding it against rotation so as to effect displacement from home position against said yielding means, a pawl on said drum engageable with notches on said carrier on displacement of the latter for holding it in displaced position, means adapted to engage said first mentioned pawl with said carrier so as.

to displace it a distance equal to the spacing between two or more type elements, a hammer engageable with said type elements to efiect a printing thereby, means including a toothed actuator adapted to operate at predetermined times during rotation of said carrier for actuating said hammer, lubricating means for said hammer actuatin mechanism including a brush partially submerged in a lubricant and havin the free ends of its bristles engaging the teeth of said actuator, the lubricant moving by capillary action to the free ends of said bristles Where it is picked up by the teeth of said actuator and delivered to the other parts of said hammer actuating means.

- EUGEN BUHLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,013,533 Buhler Sept. 3, 1935 2,030,427 Buhler Feb. 11, 1936 2,056,394 Ford Oct. 6, 1936 2,133,865 La Boiteaux Oct. 18, 1938 2,157,035 Torkelson May 2, 1939 2,199,561 Fuller May 7, 1940- 2,227,143 Knutsen Dec. 31, 1940 2,244,242 Buhler June 3, 1941 2,247,914 Lake July 1, 1941 2,343,398 Bryce Mar. 7, 1944 2,540,026 Daly Jan. 30, 1951 

